You should all probably go out and buy a copy. Or two. Yes. Buy two copies.

The idea for this story—which involves bees, forgotten insect gods, physical and mental abuse in a relationship, and, of course, horrible things happening to more-or-less decent people— had gestated for quite a number of years for me. It all began after attending one of the last AnthoCons in Portsmouth, NH. I was having lunch with my soon-to-be wife and close friend. My wife was telling a story (as she often does) about how when she was a small child, back in the UK, there used to be this old man who sold his own honey. He lived atop this hill, complete with long, windy road, all by himself. Her father loved to get this honey and would often pile everyone in the car at a moment’s notice and say “let’s go see the honeyman!”

I perked up from my slice of pizza at that phrase, demanding a pen and something to write on. Scribbling furiously, I wrote down the seeds of what would become this story on our copy of the receipt, a receipt that I still have to this day; it lives in a place of honor in my Idea Notebook.

And that is where the story stayed for a few years. I had attempted an outline of it at a few points in time over the years since that day, none of which passed the smell test. The story that is in this anthology is vastly different from the one I conceived that fateful Autumn day in Flatbread, much better, if I do say so myself.

What is it about? What does that elderly honeyman do atop that lonesome hill? Will the unsuspecting couple be lucky enough to survive him and his honey?

Probably not. This is ME we’re talking about.

If you’d like to pick up a copy, it is available on Amazon or in my Short Stories page.